Investigation launched into Turkish drone crash in Kirkuk, Iraqi Gov't. distances itself from incident

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – The Joint Operations Command announced on Thursday the formation of an investigation team to determine the reasons behind the crash of a Turkish drone in Kirkuk.

According to the official statement, "At 9:30 AM, the Iraqi Air Defense detected a drone within the Kirkuk Operations Command sector. The drone was tracked as it moved towards the centre of Kirkuk city, an area that hosts government headquarters, key economic centres, and other vital installations."

The statement also added that, "Despite inquiries made by all security agencies and the International Coalition Forces, the ownership of the aircraft remained unknown at the time."

At approximately 10:30 AM, the drone was observed crashing within the city, and it was subsequently identified as a Turkish aircraft, according to the details from the statement by Iraq's Security Media Cell.

"In response, a technical team comprising forensic experts, air defense personnel, and drone specialists was assembled to investigate the causes and circumstances surrounding the crash," the statement highlighted.

The statement from the Joint Operations Command concluded with a promise to provide further details as the investigation progresses.

However, based on initial reports, there were claims that the Iraqi Air Force had downed the unidentified drone, which later turned out to be Turkish.

Read More: Turkish TAI Anka drone shot down in Kirkuk, officials confirm

The current statement, however, suggests that the Iraqi government is distancing itself from taking responsibility for the incident, instead forming a committee to explore the "causes and circumstances" of the drone’s downfall.

This incident comes at a time of heightened tensions and raises questions about the security and operational procedures in place to handle such situations in sensitive areas like Kirkuk.